Nutritional management of the geriatric horse

Advances in veterinary medicine, along with variations in the way horses are employed, are responsible for the increased survival rate observed in horses in the last few years. Physiological and anatomical variations occurring with age and that potentially affect the manner in which horses’ basic requirements are covered, such as a decreased nutrient digestion and absorption or a poor condition of the dentition, along with other causes that diminished the capacity for mastication, have been described. Not all these variations appear in all horses and there is no predetermined age at which a horse is considered geriatric. Age cannot be the only determining factor to consider a variation in management. Some of the most frequent changes that can be observed in geriatric horses and that can benefit from a modification of the nutritional plan are the loss of weight and muscle mass, overweight and related disease and hormonal and endocrine alterations, especially Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID). Dietary managements on senior horses are focused on improving digestibility and providing the adequate energy and nutrient intake for each horse, soothing the effects of aging in combination with medical treatment, if needed. Several nutritional supplementations are also considered. This article aims to establish the basis of the specific nutritional plan recommended for each case in order to improve the welfare and quality of life of the geriatric horse.